The ultra-compact Sony Cyber-shot DSC-U20 looks too much like a toy and screams 'cute'. Appealing to deeply fashion-conscious Hong Kong users, this 87 gram, two-megapixel digital camera is available in three cool colours - mauve, light blue and orange. There is really little difference between the U20 and its predecessor, the U10. In terms of photo quality, they are about the same though the U20 has more features allowing for better pictures taken in dim lighting or night scenes. I would not take the U20 for serious photography such as on vacations. Also, new are four picture effects that enable you to give the photos an artistic twist. It also records MPEG 4 video but the quality is very choppy.
The U20's thumbnail-sized LCD screen is really tiny so framing shots can be difficult, especially in a dark karaoke lounge. On-screen information (such as shot number, flash on or off and battery life) also obscures images during playback.
Sony really ought to look into miniaturising its power charger as well. The supplied charger for the U20 is about four times the size of the camera, with a thick, 1.82m cord, and together they weigh just too much.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-U20
Specifications
Price: HK$2,290